The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-01-28
THE EVIL OMEN.
A Tale Of Life and Death at
Schwartzberg.

''It has happened again!" So all the
oilers said at the Golden Dragon"
lit has happened againp' So the
old kelner of the Schwartzberg said,
and the servants repeated it; and that
was how they had the news at the
Golden Dragon" and all over the viii
lage before night,
How it happened was a mystery, but
there was no denying it. If any of the
noble folks at the Schwartzberg were
going to die something in the castle
was sure TO fall with no human hand
near-no loOphole for explaining why
the crash should come before the death,
and not at any other time. The omen
had begun again in these DAYS, after
lapse of a century. The old kelner's
Father, who had kept the keys long ago,
had told strange tales about it. He
had only heard them in his youth, but
they were very strange tales, and the
''GOlden Dragon and the village in
general decided that they were not to
be explained away. But it was much
more satisfactory when at the present
time tie evil omen began to show it
self again. Tt was no grandmother
story now, but a reality. The gossip
and excitement went on with shudders
and whispers; it was so pleasant to
have something to shudder about.
Why, if nobody had died after the
great stays head fell in the hall the
Golden Dragon" would have been
downright sorry.
But as it happened, the little boy
the old Baron's grandson and heir
tell on the Black Mountain the very
day after and broke his neck. That
was only three months ago. And now
The great mirror in the tapestried draw
ing room had fallen. 1t was certainly
The old Baron that was to go off this
time. The village waited breathless to
know. Home went Fritz Hartmann
with news on the Saturday night. He
was in a worse humor than usual; that
is saying a great deal for Fritz Hart
mann, for he was the blacklist man in
the village; and who he was OF what he
was thinking of was all a mystery.
Flowers, fatherr' said the bright
haired child, wanting 70 be noticed.
eco to bedr' said Hartmann, and drop
ped the flowers and kicked them away.
"Any news2' his buxom, good
humored wife asked The blacklist
mood Fritz could be in was never too
black to stop her smile; many a gath
ering thunderstorm was laughed off
by Martha.
"Why should there be news2'' he
said savagely, hinging his coat aside and
throwing himself on q seat with his hat
still on. Love in cottage has many
drawbacks, and the absence of manners
is one of them.
The brisk and buxom Martha popped
the child into bed and began to make
Fritz's supper hot. There was no fear
in her nature, and a great deal of curl
Osity.
Il wanted to hear about the poor dear
Old Baron" said Martha.
HE is dying, they say" growled
Fritz.
ooh! Poor old manr'
s'WhyP' said the husband. 'sHe paid
us for my bit of carving. What need
we careP"
eyes, we should care, my wicked old
Fritz '-shaking him by the shoulder.
eff poor man died" said Fritz,
''theywould shovel him into the ground
and forget him. Why should not the rich
die. too? He has the govt; it would be
a comfort TO the old fellow to die
Martha had prayed that he might not
die for many year, govt or no govt
he had been so good to her long ago,
when her parents died and she was
taken to the castle to feed the chickens
and the ducks in the yard. Fritz did a
bit of wood carving as well as his daily
work. Tourists bought his carving in
summer; It was bought at the castle,
too. He had carried his brackets and
frames to the Schwartzberg Castle so Of
ten thathe was freeof the servants hall
any day. and when he took the carved
chair on Thursday the Baron had made
him bring it into the library with his
own hands. 1t was ungrateful of Fritz
10 be glad that the poor old Baron was
dying; but then Fritz was always growl-
ing at the castle folks and grumbling at
his own poverty.
After supper he went out to the
Golden Dragon and lolled with the
oilers on the benches outside the inn.
He was not a man for speaking to the
others; he had the name of being as
proud as Satan, but he listened with his
arms folded and the corners of his DARK
eyes watching every thing. There wa,
no reason that the Baron should die be
cause the mirror fell, he said. 1t was
all nonsense. He was the only man IL
the village who disbelieved in the omer
of the Schwartzberg Castle.
When the notary passed-theo old man
with long white hair-he bowed K
Hartmann. 1t was queer thing that
the notary always bowed TO Hartmann
working man; sometimes Hartmann
even went TO supper with him, which
was queer thing still.
II,
Up at the mountain castle the Ions
tapestried drawing room was diml,
lighted, and the great, round, broker
mirror lay untouched upon the floor
The granddaughter of the Baron wa
there with a friend from Geneva, Ia
young lawyer, Ludwig Schmidt
friend. and more than friend. Berth
was in the first blush and beauty o
girlhood, fair and pink, with soft blu
German eyes, and curls too rich to b
flaxen. She was letting Ludwig ca
one little curl, with her pretty hea
bent for the robbery. The shadow 9
death doomed over her home agair